NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 16, 2025) – At a gathering designed to energize conversations between retailers, brands, and all levels of the outdoor industry, Switchback Spring will open with a conversation between Jim Weber, former CEO of Brooks, and Melanie “Mel” Strong, founding partner at Next Ventures, a health, sports, and wellness venture capital fund.
A Conversation with Jim Weber: Leading with Agility and Purpose will kick off the Switchback Spring education program on Monday, June 16, at 12:00 PM CST. The conversation will launch the debut edition of the education and business gathering for the outdoor industry community, taking place June 16-18, 2025, in Nashville, TN.
Weber and Strong’s conversation will touch on how brands and retailers can sustain and thrive through challenging times, the importance of building a resilient organization, insights on adapting to change and disruption, and the value of strong leadership and strategic thinking.
“Creating a place for business, education, and conversations has been our goal with Switchback Spring since day one. Jim’s compelling story is a fantastic opportunity to bring together all three of those priorities and to help kick off the gathering in Nashville,” said Christina Henderson, Switchback event director.
As the former CEO of Brooks, Weber re-founded and transformed the company from a business on the brink of bankruptcy into a $1.4 billion global powerhouse and industry leader able to stand tall against world class brands. Weber’s story includes key decisions that fueled Brooks’ success from leading with purpose and driving innovation to cultivating customer obsession and building more trusting workplace cultures.
“Consumers have more choices than ever before when it comes to brands, products, and places to shop,” said Weber. “Solving for current and future customers is essential – not only to survive, but to profitably grow. By sharing insights and ideas, we can all confirm our assumptions around the customer and sharpen our point of view on the most critical questions and opportunities facing our businesses.”
Strong co-founded Next Ventures in 2019 and focuses on early stage investments across health and wellness in companies like Oura ring and Outside Inc. Prior to Next Ventures, she spent 17 years at Nike where she led several businesses including Nike Women and Skateboarding, and worked on the launch of the Nike Running and Training Club apps. Strong currently serves on the boards of Cofertility, Ramble Campgrounds, Sage Hospitality, Outdoor Afro and USA Cycling.
Switchback Spring, with a nearly sold out show floor and rising retailer numbers, released its initial slate of educational sessions for the inaugural event late last month. Along with Weber’s presentation, additional sessions have been added to the education program since the announcement, including:
Industry Partnerships to Expand Youth Outdoor Participation
Lesford Duncan, Outdoor Foundation executive director, and Kent Ebersole, OIA president, will explore key trends, highlight successful programs, and share strategies to strengthen outdoor access and engagement.
Reduce Your Hassles, Improve Your Operations, Increase Your Profits
David Jones, founder of The Excellence Advisory, will share proven strategies to streamline retail operations and attract more customers, while boosting sales and profitability.
Built to Flex: Smarter Strategies for Retail Planning, Buying, and Merchandising
In this workshop led by Carrie Watson of Outside Looks LLC, retail buyers will learn how to make confident buying decisions with built in flexibility that leave room for adaptation.
Fueling Growth: Funding Strategies for Emerging Outdoor Brands
In this panel discussion led by Enhao Li of Founded Outdoors, founders of emerging outdoor companies will share how they financed their businesses from the ground up and discuss the pros and cons of various funding paths to finance a new venture.
The education program features a balanced variety of topics designed to support specialty retailers and enhance the business being done at the show. The dynamic speaker lineup includes industry and trend experts and organizations long known for their contributions to the outdoor sector.
All Switchback Spring events will be hosted within a dedicated portion of the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, a spacious venue with 12 restaurants and an attached premium hotel. With all attendees staying and meeting in a single location, the focused environment will enable both private planned meetings as well as organic meetups and run-ins.
For more information about Switchback Spring education sessions, visit www.switchbackevent.com/education-program.
Brands interested in exploring exhibiting opportunities can contact Switchback Event Director Christina Henderson at chenderson@divcom.com.
Registration for retailers, media, and outdoor industry professionals is available here.
For more information about Switchback, please visit www.switchbackevent.com.
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About Switchback
Switchback is the twice-a-year business and education gathering for the outdoor industry owned and operated by Diversified Communications, a leading international media company with a portfolio of face-to-face exhibitions and conferences, online communities, and digital and print publications. Scheduled at optimal times for discovery and buying conversations, Switchback is held each fall in conjunction with The Running Event and each spring as a standalone event. Blending an accessible format with a schedule of education, peer connection opportunities, and business meetings, Switchback is a dedicated gathering place for all sectors of the outdoor industry community. Upcoming dates for the event include Switchback Spring (Nashville, TN; June 16-18, 2025) and Switchback at TRE (Dec. 2-4, 2025; San Antonio, TX). To learn more about Switchback, please contact Michael Collin (michael@palemorning.com) or visit www.switchbackevent.com.
